


Youthful Indiscretions

by AkiRah



Series: Beyond Destiny: Short Side Pieces (Entirely Out Of Order) [7]
Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic
Genre: Beyond Destiny, Close Canon, F/F, Marlitharn (OC), Sith Pureblood, introspective, make star wars gayer, pureblood jedi, secret make outs, the biggest variation is that Tython takes longer than in Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-25
Updated: 2017-09-25
Packaged: 2019-01-05 06:22:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12184626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AkiRah/pseuds/AkiRah
Summary: It always seems that your vows get tested hardest thirty seconds after you leave the Monastery. Marlitharn leaves the cloister at Haashimut and within what feels like twenty-minutes meets the prettiest twi'lek in existence.





	Youthful Indiscretions

Marli felt out of place on Tython. She told herself this was because she’d only been there a week. She’d only been off of Haashimut for a week, and she had lived there for eight years in isolation. She liked how busy the temple on Tython was, even if eyes followed her suspiciously. She had not seen another Pureblood, though she’d heard there were at least a few. 

It wasn’t _unheard of_. 

Just rare. 

Just worrying. 

She tucked her padawan braid back behind her ear, finding its dangling distracting as she walked up the winding worn path towards the twi’lek village. Still, the Masters at Haashimut had been worried no one would want her, and Master Orgus had chosen her almost immediately. He _said_ that it was because the Force told him he was meant to train her. That she was the strongest Force User he’d seen in decades. She suspected that he was concerned and wanted to keep an eye on her. Which was fine, and not unusual. She would behave, there would never be anything for Master Orgus to worry about, she would overcome the darkness in her blood. 

Grandmaster Shan certainly seemed concerned. Marli didn’t believe for an instant that the _Grandmaster_ _of The Order_ had just wanted to make sure she was feeling alright after combat. There were hundreds of padawans. Many had been injured. Grandmaster Shan wasn’t taking time to check on them. 

No, it was more likely that the Grandmaster was just trying to make sure that the pureblood hadn’t gone berserk. Which was kind of her. Marli was going to insist that it was kind. 

She couldn’t help but wonder if Grandmaster Shan would have approved of her being taken in at all, or if the beautiful, cold woman she’d met would have elected to dispose of Marli along with her parents to lessen the risk. 

“Such introspection does not become a Jedi,” Marli muttered to herself. “We focus on the present.” 

And Jedi did not murder children. 

They would not have killed her parents if they’d had a choice. 

The Twi’lek village was small, but lively. They’d manufactured walls around most of it, enough room to grow but making it feel cohesive and tight-knit. Marli could hear fighting though, and that pulled her back to the immediate concern. The Flesh Raiders were getting bold and aggressive and the only upside was that it meant the Order was finally willing to talk to the illegal Twi’lek settlement. 

Marli had been filled in by Master Orgus and she _still_ didn’t understand. The twi’lek were _there_ , whether they should have been or not. Wasn’t it wiser and more . . . _right_ to protect them? She understood that the _Republic_ couldn’t be shown giving aid to people it had explicitly told not to be there, but the _Order_ should have. 

Arguing _that_ had gotten her nothing except a reminder that the Jedi _serve_ the Republic, they do not set policy. She understood the reason and theory behind that, both having been lessons the Haashimut Masters had driven into her. Duty, sacrifice, loyalty. Republic first. The understanding that the Order itself served as a guiding force but that individual jedi were tools wielded in the name of peace. 

So, yes, she understood. 

She didn’t have to _like_ the situation, however. 

At least she didn’t need directions. It could be assumed that the largest building in the complex was the home of Matriarch Sumari, the woman Master Orgus had instructed her to speak with. Marli exhaled, a long, slow breath, she was _not_ a diplomat. She didn’t think she’d held a conversation with anyone outside the Order since she was . . . nine. He barely counted, seeing as he’d thought he was going to be training as a Padawan and had been raised as such. Furthermore, Marli was seventeen now and those old memories were hazy and half-faded. 

Well, trials were part of the job. She could do this. 

_She was a little less than convinced_

Matriarch Sumari was a pale olive green with wrinkles set lightly into her skin. She eyed Marli with supreme distrust, nostrils flaring slightly. 

Marli decided to just . . . hope she was like this with everyone. She cleared her throat, trying to remember her manners as she bowed. “Greetings, Matriarch. I am Padawan Marlitharn of the Jedi Order. Master Orgus Din has sent me to help you fight the Flesh Raiders.” 

Matriarch Sumari crossed her arms, the long dangling sleeves of her dress twisting elegantly together. “ _So_ , the Jedi finally deign to recognize my people’s suffering? How _noble_.” 

Marli resisted the urge to wince. 

“Nothing to do with the attack on your training grounds I’m _sure_.”

Marli bit the inside of her cheek. Diplomacy was hard. “I--” she let her shoulders relax. “We didn’t realize how great the Flesh Raiders had become.” She felt like an idiot for saying it. _She_ had been on Tython for less than a week and it seemed pretty likely that Matriarch Sumari had been _pretty stardamned clear_ about the threat. 

“And now you seek help from the people you once ignored.” Matriarch Sumari’s scowl deepened and for a moment Marli through she was going to refuse flat out. Then, the older woman’s expression softened to one of misery. “My scouts have tracked the Flesh Raiders for months,” she said, tone lowering with the weight on her shoulders. “Watched them grow in strength. I will share what we’ve discovered, but only if you agree to protect my people. We . . .” She reached up to touched her forehead and swayed on her feet. “We suffer.” 

“Mother.” 

Marli turned to look at the speaker entering the room, a beautiful woman, maybe a few years Marli’s senior with beautiful worried eyes and pale green skin like a stripped sapling. 

“Mother you need rest. Let me carry this burden for you.”

“Are you alright,” Marli asked, starting to take a step forward with one hand extended and then freezing. She stepped back, hand curling closed and back towards her chest. She rubbed her thumb awkwardly over the side of her index finger. “Is she sick?” Marli asked the newcomer. “Does she need a doctor?” 

“Thank you,” the younger twi’lek said. “But we have our own healers.” 

Marli wasn’t sure if it was a dismissal or just a statement. 

“This is my daughter,” Matriarch Sumari explained, straightening as best she could but still leaning heavily on her daughter for support. “Ranna Tao’Ven. She and Scout Chief Moorint here,” she gestured with one hand to a pale pink man leaning against the wall, “will speak for me. I must attend to . . . other matters.” 

“I wish you a speedy recovery,” Marli tried to offer. 

Matriarch Sumari looked unamused, but bowed her head in acknowledgement before allowing Ranna to help her exit the main room for deeper parts of the house. 

“Personally,” Moorint said, pulling her attention to him as he pushed off the wall and walked over. “I don’t care _why_ you’ve come--as long as you destroy the Flesh Raiders.” He was much more casual that either Ranna or Matriarch Sumari had been. Marli appreciated it, even if she wasn’t sure how to respond in kind. “Ever since they got their new weapons and gear, they hunt us like animals.” 

“My condolences.” 

Moorint snorted, clearly not in the mood for platitudes. He was older than her, maybe mid-twenties. Probably he looked at her and saw a child. “They have a camp in the village nearby. My scouts say the Flesh Raiders store their weapons and other tech in a cave.” He produced a rough drawn map and handed it to Marli for study. 

“Removing that tech could neutralize them,” Marli mused. “Or at least drag things back to how they had been.” 

“We need to strike _fear_ into the Flesh Raiders. Sabotage their weapons.” Moorint grinned. Not a happy, mirthful grin, but the grin of a man picturing horrible things happening to people he hated. “Fix it so they blow up in their ugly faces.” He looked up, over Marli’s shoulder at the sound of footprints and Marli turned her head in turn. 

“How would we do that, Moorint?” Ranna asked. Her expression was mournful but collected, like she was trying very hard to be alright. 

“Their technology is standard Republic design,” Moorint shrugged, folding his arms back over his chest. He leaned back against the table. “We could overload the power circuits and plasma coils.” 

Marli shook her head. “I don’t . . . actually know how to do that.” 

“Here, I’ll show you,” Moorint offered. 

_No, if you do that it’ll break but it won’t explode. Wrap those two wires around each other._

_Ranna, can you hand me the--yeah. Thank you._

_Do you want something to drink?_

Marli couldn’t remember a time when she’d enjoyed herself well. Ranna was twenty, but barely, and Moorint was twenty-five. They’d been friends for forever, he’d followed her to Tython when he was a teenager, citing that she’d get herself eaten by some sort of alien monster without him. 

It reminded Marli of her hazy youth, the boy she’d shared a week with, talking by the meditation pond because younglings didn’t _play_. 

And while teaching her, Moorint didn’t treat her like a cautiously despised Jedi. And that was nice. And Ranna smiled _at_ her more than once, and that was _very nice_. 

“Sabotage would thin the Flesh Raider numbers _and_ eliminate their technological advantage,” Moorint argued. 

Ranna shook her head and looked Marli in the eye. 

Marli cleared her throat. 

“If you brought that technology _here_ , we could defend ourselves with those weapons,” Ranna said, having thought of the idea half an hour before and having spent the last twenty minutes bickering with Moorint about it. 

“The village is vulnerable to attack,” Marli agreed. There was no way to know what sort of crisis might show up _after_ this one either. “You need better defenses.” 

Moorint snorted. “This debate is pointless unless she can get inside that cave.” 

“I can get in.” 

“You’ll need one of the leaders access keys.” 

Marli nodded and stood. “I’ll head out now, thank you.” 

Ranna stood as well. “Find the Flesh Raider technology and do what you think is best.” Her expression clouded back to worried. “Good luck, Master Jedi.” 

“I’m just a Padawan,” Marli brought both hands up. “Just Marli! Er . . . that is . . . Marlitharn.” 

“Good luck,” Ranna’s eyes twinkled. “ _Marli_.” 

Marli’s cheeks felt warm. 

* * *

Carrying the weapons back proved to be something of a hassle. Marli stuck as much as she could in the pack Ranna had given her, but while that worked for blasters (with their battery packs carefully removed) rifles and vibroswords were harder. She had some help, thanks to the droid--T7-01--that she’d picked up in the cave, but it was slow going and she had to make more than a few stops to dispatch Flesh Raiders between her and her objective. 

T7-01 was a treasure, chirruping optimistically as he followed her down the mountain back towards the Twi’lek settlement. She’d never met a more upbeat droid. She didn’t think she’d ever met a more upbeat _person_. Not that the list of people she knew was particularly long, but _still._

He beeped delightedly when she carefully lifted him over a large rock in their path and it earned a huffed chuckle from her that she would have been ashamed of if anyone had been watching. She gave the weapons to the militia, trying not to feel awkward as she produced blaster after blaster after blaster from her pack. 

Marli and T7 made their way through the village with the rumor of her assistance spreading out behind them. The eyes felt a little more friendly when they landed on her back. Less like knives. 

She had helped! She liked helping. 

Her good mood shattered when she entered the room and heard the shouting. A distraught man with untattooed lekku and wind-burn around his eyes was sobbing and shouting at Ranna, who had her hands up to pacify him. “She died in my arms!” He choked. “You . . . you should’ve seen what those filth did to her.” 

Ranna reached to set a hand on his shoulder and it was smacked away. “I’m sorry, Saylew.” Marli’s jaw tensed as she walked closer, catching eyes with Master Orgus, who gave an acknowledging head shake, his posture straight but relaxed and his expression impassive. 

“We all share your loss,” Ranna said softly. It seemed to Marli that she said it in earnest and that was a kindness Marli had never before seen. She admired the empathy, but it didn’t seem to do much for Saylew. 

His shoulders shook with the effort of suppressing his sobs. “For every one of us the Flesh Raiders butcher, we should kill ten!” He shook his head violently, lekku whipping behind him. “No, a hundred!” 

“Will that restore your loved one to life?” Master Orgus asked. 

Saylew turned and snapped. “Don’t lecture me, _Jedi._ My _wife_ is dead! Our people slaughtered!” He noticed Marli and turned to level his fury at her. “Where were _you_ then?” 

Marli exhaled and folding her arms behind her back, feet shoulder-width apart in perfect mimicry of Master Orgus’s stance. She brought her right hand up. “Nothing I say will make you feel whole again. _However_ , I assure you we’re really doing everything we can.”

“What about _exterminating_ those animals?” Saylew demanded. “The Flesh Raiders won’t stop until we’re all dead!” He stuck his finger in Marli’s chest and she remained still, knowing Master Orgus was watching her reactions carefully. 

It felt like a test.

“Of course not,” Marli couldn’t help the trace of irritation that seeped into the words. “I won’t quit until the Flesh Raiders are defeated.” 

Saylew didn’t look convinced but Ranna’s hand alighted on his shoulder. “Come on, Saylew. We need to make preparations for her passing,” she said softly, eyes meeting Marli’s and a small, apologetic smile on her perfect lips. 

Saylow looked like he wanted to argue, but then his eyes dropped. “We’ll see what a Jedi’s promise is worth.” He let Ranna lead her away and Marli waited until both of their backs were turned to let her shoulders slump. She looked up at the ceiling and rolled her eyes with thinly veiled exasperation. 

“I hope you can fulfil that pledge, Padawan,” Master Orgus said, walking over and giving her a worried smile. “I fear he won’t take disappointment well.” 

“Most people don’t,” Marli pointed out. “And stopping the Flesh Raiders is why we’re _here_. If I fail, it’s probably because I’m dead.” 

“Next lesson,” he gave her a thin smile. “Don’t die.” 

“That was the second lesson, Master.” 

“It’s a good one.” He sighed. “People wonder why Jedi are forbidden to marry or have families. They don’t see how attachments always lead to suffering.” 

“Master Till’in mentioned,” Marli said with an obedient nod. “But, I’ll be honest, it sounds like an overstatement, Master.”

“Passionate emotions can destroy a person,” Master Orgus sounded like he was a thousand miles away, trapped in some memory. He looked back at her and his mouth pulled down into a frown. “And Jedi destroyed by passion become something _terrible_.” 

“Sith,” Marli said softly. 

“Sometimes. Sometimes you just have Force-Sensitives on rampages driven by revenge, not caring who’s in their way.” 

Marli could see where that would be a problem. She was only seventeen and went through Flesh Raiders like they were made of of wax paper. What could a fully trained Jedi do in a fit of rage? 

_**T7 = salutes Master Orgus**_ , T7-01 beeped to change the subject. He rolled over and slid under Marli’s hand like a trained akk-dog seeking attention. It was . . . adorable. _**T7 reconnaissance report = ready for delivery**_

“Oh! Master Orgus, this is T7-01, he says he works for the Jedi.” 

“He does,” Master Orgus knelt and flicked open one of T7-01’s front panels. “He’s one of our long-range probes. We send out twenty, this is the only one to come back. 

_**T7’s holorecording = enemies of Jedi,**_ T7 continued. _ **T7 = playback for Master Orgus.**_

Master Orgus nodded. “Thank you.” He looked up at Marli. “While I deal with the droid, talk to Ranna. I think her people are ready to help us.” He spared her a warm smile. “Thanks to you.” 

Marli fought not to grin in response. 

Ranna was in a different room, sitting on a small couch with her elbows on a low table and her head in her hands. Moorint was leaning against the way, his lips moving by Marli was too far away to make out the words. She knocked on the wall to be polite and her lips moved to a forced smile for a moment before dropping again as Ranna and Moorint looked over. 

“I’m sorry about Saylew,” Ranna began immediately. “After all you did--”

“He’s grieving. It’s alright,” Marli said peaceably. “How are other concerns?” 

“With the weapons and technology you brought from the Flesh Raiders, my people can defend themselves.” 

“It was almost a waste teaching you how to blow them up,” Moorint teased. 

Marli couldn’t help but smile and huff an un-Jedi-like chuckle. “I’m sure I’ll need that information _eventually_.” 

“I hope so, otherwise it was a waste of time. I hate wasting time.” 

“You do not,” Ranna rolled her eyes at him before they returned to Marli. She tilted her head a little to one side, lekku draped elegantly over her shoulder. “It’s been a long time since my people have had a Champion. Your heroism gives me hope that we’ll survive this.” 

“I’ll be your Champion any time,” Marli said with complete conviction. 

Moorint snorted. 

Ranna’s cheeks turned a deeper green and her eyes widened. 

Marli coughed and felt her cheeks turn darker. She cleared her throat. “That . . . that is I. Duty. My duty is to protect you-- _the village_ , that you’re a part of. And. Yes.” She stared at the floor. “Thank you.” 

Ranna chuckled kindly and Marli watched her feet. “Shut up Moorint.” 

“How . . .” Marli swallowed, determined to change the subject. “Is your mother feeling any better.” She looked up and the way Ranna’s face fell made her wish she’d just kept her mouth shut. 

Too late now. 

“No,” Ranna shook her head and exhaled, the breath just a little bit shaky. “But we’re doing all we can. Thank you for asking.” She cleared her throat and rolled her shoulders back, sitting up straight. “Moorint? Give Marli everything we’ve learned about the Flesh Raiders.” 

Moorint pushed off the wall. “Scouts report that the Flesh Raider forces are gathering in strength. They _already_ control the mountain around us and now they’re invading the ruins of Kaleth.” 

Marli gave him a blank look. Master Till’in had mentioned a ruined city located nearish the Jedi Temple when he had first brought her to Tython, but she didn’t know anything else. Or even if they were the same ruined city. Planets could have lots of cities. 

“My men spotted them at the remains of an ancient shrine--close to your Jedi Temple,” Moorint continued. 

So _probably_ the one Master Till’in had been investigating. What were the odds? 

“Kaleth was a great city of Force Users,” Master Orgus explained, coming up behind Marl, T7 rolling after him. He gave Marli a cursory nod, raising an eyebrow that told her she hadn’t _entirely_ stopped blushing. “Its ruins hold powers we still don’t understand.” 

“Well,” Moorint said with a deepening frown. “The Flesh Raiders are looking for something there.” 

“We can’t let them find it.” Master Orgus turned back to Marli. “Drive back those Force Raiders _immediately_. I have to take this droid back to the Council.” 

T7 rocked happily. 

“The situation is worse than I thought.” Master Orgus frowned. “Do whatever it takes to push the Flesh Raiders out of Kaleth, I’ll send you reinforcements as soon as possible.” 

“I’ll hold the line, Master,” Marli promised. 

He set a hand on her shoulder as she turned to leave. “Marlitharn,” he said. “If you see that hooded figure from the holo, _do not_ engage him.” Master Orgus gave her shoulder a squeeze. 

She nodded, too shocked for words. 

“Good. Now get going.” 

* * *

There was more going on than Marli was being told and it was starting to grate. The Flesh Raider leading the insurgence into Kaleth had spoken basic, which was strange enough. But then it had used the Force. And Marli was . . . pretty sure they weren’t supposed to do that. Yes, the Force flowed through all things but she didn’t think Flesh Raiders could _harness_ it. 

Clearly, she was mistaken and _clearly_ someone needed to put an actual Knight on this before she completely fucked it up. 

At least she’d had the chance to briefly catch up with Master Till’in. He seemed more content researching Kaleth’s Droids than he had in the true serenity on Haashimut. Strange, but he was sort of a strange man.

With all that weighing her down, it was something of a relief to return to Kalikori Village. It was starting to feel like . . . home. More than the Temple, anyway, and she’d been advised not to consider Haashimut _home_ after she’d turned about thirteen because she wouldn’t be staying. 

Kalikori wasn’t _home_ either, but Marli smiled at the Matriarch’s house and felt like the semantics didn’t matter so much. She would be on Tython until her training was complete and then after that, she would likely return to Tython often. She had built a rapport with the Twi’leks. She could serve the order and remain near Ranna-- _near the village that needed her help_. 

Assuming she would be allowed. They were settled illegally and the Republic had given its orders. But still, surely no one wanted to see them suffer. Surely a single jedi could be spared in their defense. 

Master Orgus waved her over the minute she entered the building, his expression narrowed with concern and a darkness that made her throat want to close. His eyes were kind though. “Master Kiwiiks told me what you found in Kaleth--a Flesh Raider who used the Force?” 

Marli nodded. “Yes, master.” 

“She thought he was learning things from an old holocron.” Master Orgus tugged a hand over his face and sighed. “I wish that were true.” 

Marli stared at him. As she understood it, _anyone_ learning from “an old holocron” without supervision was taking a huge risk. For everyone else. And themselves, she supposed, but the _everyone else_ was the bigger concern. 

“The man who attacked you when you first arrived?” 

Marli nodded, she remembered all too clearly. It had been the first life she’d taken that didn’t belong to a wild animal or a Flesh Raider.

“His lightsaber had a familiar aspect. The droid’s holorecording confirmed my suspicions.” 

T7 made a sad booping noise and tilted his headcap down a little. _**T7 = sorry for bringing bad news.**_

“The hooded figure in the recording is named Bengel Morr.” Master Orgus’s face smoothed with calm. “He was my padawan--but he never completed his training.” 

_Oh_ , Marli thought, uncomfortably aware of the fact that she wasn’t hiding it at _all_ , _Oh Force_. 

“Bengel was in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant when the Sith destroyed it.”

Marli tried to think of something kinder to say than “I can’t believe anyone survived that” or simply “holy shit” and came up with . . . nothing. 

“The temple was annihilated,” Master Orgus continued. “Hundreds of Jedi died that day. We never recovered all the bodies.” He took a deep breath and Marli felt his pain reach out to her. He masked it well. They must have been close. 

Probably, Bengel’s loss was why Master Orgus hadn’t taken a padawan in ten years. She hoped she could live up to it. 

“I don’t have words, Master, but I’m sorry to hear that.” 

“Thanks,” Master Orgus gave her a thin smile. “Bengel was strong in the Force . . . and the most gentle being I’ve ever known.” He shook his head. “For him to turn against the Jedi . . . he has to be stopped.” 

Marli nodded her agreement and had opened her mouth to voice it when she heard gentle footfalls on the stair to her right. She closed her mouth and turned to watch Ranna descend. Her brown eyes were rubbed raw, still wet in the light. There were tear trails down her cheeks. 

Marli rocked forward on the ball of her foot, restrained by her own awkwardness and the knowledge that Master Orgus was _right there_. 

“Ranna?” She asked instead, trying to convey all her concern in one direction without letting Master Orgus pick up on it. It wasn’t going to work and she _knew it_. 

“Apologies for keeping you waiting,” Ranna says after a swallow, her voice wavering with the effort of not coming out more choked. “Our people’s matriarch--my . . . my mother--is dying.” 

Marli’s expression softened with affection and worry. “You should be with her.” 

Ranna shook her head and her expression was gentle steel. “Mother said my work with you must come first.” She cleared her throats and drew herself up. “My scouts have identified a Flesh Raider command base in the mountains. It’s protected by an energy shield. The shield’s power generator is hidden on a different mountain, in a well-guarded cave network.” 

“That command base is probably coordinating all the attacks in the region.” Master Orgus stroked his chin. “I need to get inside there.” He turned to look at Marli and his mouth moved to a wry smile, as though the conversation about his former padawan hadn’t happened. “You up for knocking down a generator.” 

Marli chuckled. “Have I ever let you down?” 

“First time for everything.” Master Orgus winked. “Not that I’m worried.”

Marli laughed and shook her head, rolling her yellow eyes. 

_**Important secondary mission = perform high-level scan of enemy forces**_ T7 chirruped, _**Mountain paths = too dangerous for T7**_

Master Orgus stroked his chin. “Hmm.” He looked back up at Marli. “See if you can give the droid an opening to gather more intelligence. 

_**T7 = give Jedi head start / / follow when path is clear.** _

“That energy shield is your top priority, Marlitharn. Knock it out as fast as you can.” 

“Yes, master.” She turned like she was going to say something to Ranna when Master Orgus pre-empted her. 

“Ranna, a word?” 

Ranna took her eyes of Marli and nodded. “Of course, Master Jedi.” 

Marli’s stomach felt like it was full of caterpillars. She hurried out before Master Orgus could decide to talk to _her_ as well. 

* * *

Bengel Morr was a nautolan male with a voice that had lost none of its gentleness even as he threatened her. Which was equal parts sad and unsettling. She had a hard time believing he was _evil_ , considering how sad (not angry, not vengeful, but delicately mourning in a way that reminded her of some of the poetry the Masters on Haashimut would recite) he was over the death of his student. 

Master Orgus would know what to do. 

Or, if he didn’t, Master Orgus would know how to figure it out. 

She high-tailed it back to Kalikori village, sparing only cursory nods for the guards and made her way into the Matriarch’s house. 

“Master Orgus?” she called, looking around. “Ranna?” 

“In--” there was a hiccup and a sniffle that interrupted Ranna’s words as they carried from an adjacent room. “In here.” 

“I found the energy shield,” Marli said as she walked. “Has there been any word from Master Or--” she stopped talking as she rounded the corner and rushed forward to kneel in front of where Ranna was crying and shaking her head slowly. 

“N-no, there ha-ha-hasn’t.” 

“What’s wrong?” Marli asked, ignoring the answer to her own question. She reached up tentatively and wiped away the tears on Ranna’s left cheek with her right thumb. Ranna tilted her face into Marli’s palm and gave her a watery smile, mouthing _thank you_ and squeezing her eyes closed. 

“Your mother?”

Ranna nodded. She took a breath to steady herself and when her brown eyes opened next she looked a little more in control. “She found peace in your absence.” Ranna’s lower lip wobbled and Marli wanted to touch it with her own to ensure that it stabilized. “I am now Matriarch.” 

“You don’t have to go through this alone,” Marli offered. “I’m here for you.” She pulled away, flushing a deeper crimson and stood up, hands on her hips. “As as--as a Jedi, of course.” 

Ranna smiled and stood. “You, and your Master, are a great comfort to me.” She wiped her eyes and blinked until they were dry. “Before he left, Master Orgus told me that _there is no death, there is the Force_.”

Marli nodded. “It’s part of our Code. The belief that our essence lives on when we die, becoming one with the Force.” 

“I hope it’s true.” 

“Me too,” Marli admitted, voicing the tiny doubt like a great secret. 

“Matriarch!” The cry from the front room jerked Ranna and Marli’s eyes off each other and to the door, Marli reached it first, just in time for a bright red twi’lek woman to slam into her. 

“Eseni?!” Ranna asked, panic spiking the name. 

“Flesh Raiders broke through our defenses,” Eseni exclaimed, talking at a hundred miles a minute. “They did _something_ to our crops! They dropped strange machines in the soil and when a scout approached one he collapsed with sickness.” She stepped back, wide-eyed and panicked. “He crawled away and began to recover but there are many more machines still out there.” 

Marli unhooked her vibroblades. “Tell your people to stay away from the fields,” she instructed Ranna. “I’ll get rid of those things.” 

Long, elegant fingers with thin calluses alighted loosely on her bicep and she turned to look Ranna in the eye. “Marli,” she said, “ _Be Careful_. If the machines are too powerful, save yourself.” 

“I’m a Jedi,” Marli reminded her. “I’ll do what’s necessary to protect your people.” 

She left the house at a jog, following Eseni’s shouted directions and her own recollection of where the fields were. The billowing smoke was easy enough to follow at least. The machines dropped by the Flesh Raiders were complicated gas grenades, but they were repubic standard and Moorint had shown her how to disable those. 

Her head spun. 

She felt like vomiting. 

When the first machine was neutralized she rolled to the side to dodge the blow from a Flesh Raider that had been waiting. She kicked it twice in the head, once to knock it backwards and then again to drive it to the ground. As it fell she followed with her vibroblade and severed its head from its body. 

This went on for six devices and six Flesh Raiders. Marli dispatched the last one and hit the ground, coughing and gagging, breathing in dirt and then coughing harder. It began to pass and Marli pushed herself upright to the sound of murmuring villagers tentatively hoping it was over. She wiped spittle and dirt off her mouth and headed back for Ranna’s house. 

She steadied herself on the wall and took a few deep breaths before she straightened and smacked the dirt on her palms onto her thick pants. She headed inside and found Ranna waiting. 

“I dealt with the machines poisoning your crops,” Marli said. “I’d give the area a wide berth for an hour or so but--” 

“Thank you, Marli,” Ranna interrupted. “I saw how you suffered out there. What you did was more than _brave_ it was . . .” 

“My job?” Marli ventured, feeling herself start to flush again. 

“ _Heroic_ ,” Ranna corrected. “Since you came here, all you’ve done is risk your life to save us.” Ranna’s eyes dropped to the floor. “My mother was strong, like you. It’s . . . hard, being alone like this.” 

Marli swallowed. She folded her hands behind her to keep them from reaching out. “You’re not alone, Ranna.” She smiled when her friend looked up. “You have me, you’ll always have me.” She gave a small bow. “I won’t let you down.” 

Ranna chuckled and her cheeks turned a deeper green. She cleared her throat and Marli reached up to tighten her black ponytail.

“I . . . can I ask you for a personal favor?” Ranna asked. 

“Of course.” Marli was aware that the words fell out of her mouth too quickly. 

“I have to undertake a short pilgrimage up the mountain tonight, but it’s dangerous with the Flesh Raiders. I was going to ask Moorint to accompany me but . . . would you?” 

“I’d be honored,” Marli told her. “So long as Master Orgus doesn’t require me.” 

“You can bring your comm.” Ranna’s hands hung limp at her side. “We should eat before we leave. Will you join me?” 

Marli bobbed her head happily. “I’ve never had Twi’lek cuisine.” 

“Prepare to be disappointed,” Ranna laughed. “It’s rootleaf stew because that’s what we have the ingredients for.” 

Marli shrugged. “I _like_ rootleaf stew.” 

“What? _How?_ ” 

Marli didn’t have a good answer to that, but it didn’t matter because Ranna was smiling again and her lovely brown eyes were dry. 

They sat together to eat and when Ranna’s knee touched hers it sent a jolt up Marli’s spine. She’d done it so casually and then smiled up over her bowl. Marli looked into her bowl and tried to remember the Order’s rules on attachments. 

After dinner, as the sun was sinking Ranna pulled on a long coat and dropped a handful of protein bars in the pockets. With trembling hands she took her mother’s headband and folded it neatly, placing it in a separate pocket from the food. “I’m ready.” 

“I’ll protect you,” Marli promised. 

“I know,” Ranna smiled at her and lead her outside to the foot of a mountain trail. 

They walked into the night, pausing at specific points for Ranna to light some beacons. After the second beacon, Ranna’s knuckles brushed Marli’s and Marli swallowed hard against a lump in her throat. It was dark. No one would know. 

She took Ranna’s hand slowly, letting her long red fingers smooth down Ranna’s green ones, offering plenty of time for either of them to backtrack. Ranna’s fingers linked with hers. “We should pause for a minute,” Ranna said. “My legs hurt.” 

“I can usually tell when someone’s lying,” Marli said, stopping where she was and turning to look at Ranna. “What is it?” 

“Why have you risked death again and again for people you barely know, Marli?” Ranna asked. In the dark her expression was difficult to make out. “You’re younger than _I_ am.” 

“You’re worth the risk,” Marli replied, keeping her voice low, half-terrified that Master Orgus or Grandmaster Shan were going to leap out from behind a rock. 

“The Village or--”

“You,” Marli clarified. “Specifically.” 

“You barely know me, it’s only been a few weeks.” 

Marli looked away, embarrassed. She started to pull her hand free but Ranna held it fast and brought her other hand up to turn Marli’s face back. “It’s not just duty, is it?” 

Marli shook her head. “No.” 

“All I seem to have now are duties,” Ranna confessed, taking a small step forward. “Being a Matriarch means putting your own needs second. It’s the same for Jedi, isn’t it?”

“It’s a privilege to serve,” Marli answered obediently. She could feel the Haashimut Master’s staring at the back of her neck. “But . . . yeah. Jedi aren’t supposed too-- _I’m_ not supposed too--” Marli huffed, disappointed in herself. 

Rann’s hand was soft, but her arms were strong from a lifetime of farmwork. She came up on her toes to compensate for the difference in their height, one hand on the back of Marli’s neck. 

“We could not, instead.” 

Marli folded her arms around Ranna’s waist and leaned in to close the distance between their lips. She felt Ranna’s mouth move to a smile before it opened just enough to work against Marli’s. 

Kissing, Marli decided in that moment, was awesome. Ranna’s tongue flicked playfully over her lips and into her mouth as the kiss deepened. 

They parted and pressed their foreheads together. “I don’t know how many moments like this we can steal, Marli,” Ranna breathed. “I don’t want you to get in trouble.” 

“I won’t,” Marli tried to assure herself as much as Ranna. “You bring out the best in me.” 

Ranna smiled and pressed another, smaller kiss to Marli’s mouth. “We should keep moving. Our secret?” 

“Our secret.” 

* * *

At dawn, having paused to rest and steal more kisses and innocent caresses, Ranna and Marli reached the top of the hill where the first Matriarch of Kalikori was living in hermitage. Kolovish was old, but had probably been beautiful once. She gave Ranna a sad smile and said, “Come inside.” 

“Thank you for bringing me this far,” Ranna gave Marli’s hand another squeeze. “I’ll see you soon, I hope.” 

“Yes,” Marli nodded enthusiastically. She turned to head back down the mountain when her comm buzzed. She cleared her throat, hoping she looked more tired than she did flushed, and produced her holo. “Master?” 

“Didn’t sleep?” Master Orgus asked, a hint of a wry smile playing across his mouth. 

“I escorted Ranna Tao’Ven to Matriarch Kolovish,” Marli answered, hoping that by giving enough details he wouldn’t press for more. “She was concerned about Flesh Raider attacks on the path.”

“Were there?” 

“Nothing I couldn’t handle.” She barely recalls what little combat there was, the evening written over with the texture of Ranna’s mouth on hers and the comforting feeling of having someone else’s weight in her arms. 

If Master Orgus suspected anything, he kept it to himself and sent her ahead back to Kaleth to handle a Flesh Raider base. She nodded and tucked the comm away before taking the short path off the mountain, hoping down the rocky slope as quickly and carefully as she could. She caught a speeder to Kaleth and followed the loose directions Master Orgus had been able to give her to the mouth of a cave. She could smell blood from the entrance. Blood and singed rubbery skin. Marli drew her vibroblades and darted inside, ready for the ambush that never came. 

A selkath knight, was crumbled on the floor clutching his middle with one arm, the other trying desperately to push himself upright. 

Marli set her swords aside and put both hands on Laotah’s shoulders. He met her eyes and swayed with the effort of not passing out. In selkatha he explained that he shouldn’t have come alone. Marli listened, noting with horror that it looked like he’d been sliced at with a lightsaber. 

Master Orgus had been clear that she was not to confront Bengal Morr. 

But she couldn’t leave without being sure. 

“There’s supposed to be a Nautolan leading the Raiders,” she asked, giving Laotah a _very_ small shake to keep him conscious. “I’ll get you help as soon as I can, but did you _see_ him?” 

Laotah shook his head and asked her to collect his lightsaber before he fell forward and went still in her arms. 

“There is no death,” Marli exhaled. “There is only the Force.” 

She lay Laotah on the ground and picked her her weapons up. She sliced her way through the Flesh Raiders until she found the one holding Laotah’s lightsaber. The hum was beyond intimidating and she had to remind herself that her vibroblades _could_ block it, but only a few times. 

She had to do this fast. 

She was faster and more experienced and she pit these traits against the Flesh Raider’s superior weapon and strength. She leapt, spinning out of the way and kicking her opponent soundly in the back of the head with her right leg, landing on her left. Her comm buzzed. 

_“Force,”_ she breathed, eyes on her opponent. 

He snarled and charged, swinging the stolen lightsaber and gnashing his rows of terrible teeth. The fight didn’t last long after that and Marli pried Laotah’s lightsaber from the Flesh Raider’s clawed fingers. 

She lifted Laotah’s body over her shoulders and sprinted from the cave entrance back down towards Master Till’in’s forward camp. They would see to it that his body was attended to. 

She’d finished delivering her report to Master Till’in when her comm buzzed. 

“Master Orgus?” 

“I got a distress call from Kalikori, meet me there _immediately_ ,” he said, hovering in miniature above her palm. 

Marli felt her pulse rate spike the minute Master Orgus flickered into non-existence. She took one of the speeders, hoping she was fast enough. 

The Village seemed fine. She couldn’t detect any higher stress levels than when she had left that morning. Ranna was fine when she burst into the Matriarch’s home. Marli deflated almost immediately with relief. “I’m glad you’re safe.”

Ranna turned and cocked her brow but something wasn’t right. “ _Safe_?” She repeated. “What are you talking about.” 

“Master Orgus responded to your distress call.” Marli looked around. “I was supposed to meet him here. What’s happened?” 

“Nothing,” Ranna turned back to what she was doing and tucked some small component into a pocket. “We didn’t _send_ a distress call, Marli. Things have been quiet since you left.” 

It wasn’t . . . true. Marli wasn’t sure what to do with that. There was no reason for Ranna to lie to her, yet she _knew_ she was being lied to. 

“I haven’t seen or spoken to Master Orgus.” 

“Ranna. . .” Marli bit the inside of her cheek and looked over to where T7 was still sitting. The little droid shook. 

_**T7 = scanning area / / stand by . . .** _

Marli waited the two seconds T7 needed, watching Ranna out of the corner of her eye and trying to piece together what was wrong. 

_**Confirmed**_ T7 whirred. _**Master Orgus = not in settlement + not answering holocom**_

“Ranna,” Marli offered up her full attention. “Someone sent Master Orgus a distress call from here. Who could it have been?” 

Ranna set her hand gently on Marli’s shoulder and squeezed. “I’m sure it’s just a misunderstanding. Your Master will turn up.” 

Marli reached up and covered Ranna’s hand with one of her own, still chewing on the inside of her cheek because it all felt _wrong_. 

“Wait here, with me,” Ranna’s smile was sad but inviting. “I feel safer when you’re close.” 

Marli opened her mouth to respond and then something sharp hit her at high speed, stabbing just above her kidney. 

She gave Ranna a wide-eyed, terrified look, and hit the floor. 

* * *

Marli woke up to blurry shapes and watery sounds. But she was lying on something soft. 

“What are you doing?!” Marli heard Ranna demand and her first thought was _Thank the Force, she’s still on my side_. 

The fuzzy outline of green lekku and Ranna’s thin waist filled Marli’s vision.

“Matriarch, step aside.” It sounded like Moorint if overly formal and from behind gritted teeth but . . . Moorint. _Why_? “Handing over the Master wasn’t enough,” Moorint said. “She’s gotta die too.” 

“I told you to leave her alone,” Ranna snapped. “ _That_ was the deal.” 

Marli blinked. Her head was clearing but a sharp stinging in her eyes kept her vision watery and blurred. 

“Bengel Morr refused that deal, Ranna,” Moorint growled. “This is to save our peo--”

“She’s up,” Eseni said. 

“Ranna?” Marli blinked until her vision cleared. It hurt. Something in her chest and stomach _ached_. “You lied to my face. How could you do that?” 

Ranna met her eyes and then let her gaze fall away, hands on her hips. “The Jedi can’t win, Marli.” She shook her head. “They’re all going to die--but I--I can save _you_.” 

Moorint’s hard expression softened for a mere moment, like he remembered that they had almost been friends but that he couldn’t care about that any longer. “Bengel Morr came to me. Said he’d end the Flesh Raider attacks _if_ we gave him Master Orgus.” 

“He told us to kill you too,” Ranna said softly. “I said no. I told him we’d keep you here.” She looked back at Moorint. “Please, you can’t hurt her.” 

The pain in Marli’s stomach and chest was worse. It felt like being dragged over sharp rocks. She wanted to pretend that they’d fed her something, but this pain, this failing, this was all her own. 

“If we don’t do as we’re told, Bengel Morr will kill us all.” 

_She had endangered Master Orgus and the rest of the Order._

Marli exhaled. She brought up a hand and forced the Force into her voice. “You don’t want to hurt anyone.” She winced inwardly, watching the lights go out in their eyes. They’d recover, but there was always damage and some of it they might not handle well. “You want to sleep here peacefully, maybe sleep for a bit.” 

“I . . . I don’t want to hurt anyone.” Moorint repeated and she _hoped_ it was true because that would at least make it easier for his thoughts to square with later. And she had liked him. 

“We want to leave here peacefully,” Eseni said. She set her blaster down. “Here, we won’t need these.” 

They left and Marli rose off of the bed. Her vibroblades and comm were lying on the table. 

“This was a terrible mistake,” Ranna said weakly. “It wasn’t . . . it wasn’t suppose to be like this.” 

Marli fastened her weapons’ belt and fought not to notice the wetness around Ranna’s eyes. 

“I was going to save you--save us all.” 

Marli sheathed her weapons and pocketed her comm. “Attachments,” she said numbly, “lead to suffering. I see it now.” She looked over, eyes clear and forced herself not to look to Ranna’s mouth for comfort. “The harder we fought to hold onto one another, the less control we would have.”

“I’ve lost so much and . . . I couldn’t lose you too.” Ranna brought one slender hand up to clear away some tears. “Not just because of last night, Marli. In general. You’ve been--”

“I am a Jedi,” Marli said, reminding herself as much as Ranna. “I forgot what that meant for a little while.” 

Ranna closed her brown eyes in defeat and nodded. “Bengel Morr took Orgus to someplace called the Forge. Reactivate your droid--” she pointed to where T7 was powered down in a corner. “--it might know where to find them.” 

Marli nodded and knelt down to start reactivating T7. She froze when she felt a hand curl over her shoulder. 

“Marli?” 

“Ranna.” 

“It was never in my heart to betray you. Forgive me, please.”

Marli kept working. “I can’t condone what you’ve done but,” she sighed, “I do understand it. Work to make up for it.” She closed her eyes for a moment, steadying her center. She was a Jedi. She just had to be a Jedi. “Master Orgus says there’s little better cure for wrong than working with your hands to fix them.” 

“I’ll do that. Thank you.” Ranna squeezed her shoulder and started to pull away, pausing where she was for a moment and then finishing the movement. “My people should hear what’s happened. It’s best if _I_ tell them.” 

Marli nodded and T7 clicked on.


End file.
